Power-driven cultivator



March 20, 1951 A. c. HOWARD 2,545,735

POWER DRIVEN CULTIVATOR 5, w no 7 |36 234- F\c 5 E INVENTOR.

A C.' Afa/wea March 20, 1951 A. c. HOWARD POWER DRIVEN CULTIVATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 21, 1949 INVEN TOR. A. C. Hon/,42p

BY `1M mqwndkamg AH's s.

A. C. HOWARD POWER DRIVEN CULTIVATOR March 2f), 1951 4 Sheetsf-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 21, 1949 206s 5455 f5- 7679l73 77 FlGll INVENTO? A. C. H OWARD Afl/7767 March 20, 1951 Filed Oct. 21, 1949 A. c. HOWARD POWER DRivEN CULTIVATOR 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 20, 1951 UNITED STATES PTENT OFFICE Y. l 1VJ1-1?',-5415f735rr` 1, l

CULTIVATOR Arthur Clifford Howard, Upfrii'r'iste, Enlglard; "assignor" of"one"half"'to Rotary Hoes Limited, Lylvlavst Horndom-EssexEngland y lThe invention'lrelates 5o' a"powerdrive 'cul-l tivator, and whilst not' 'limited "in this respect,` particularly to one ofthekindfor useiin 'gadeiisf andsirnilarly connedl space 'sfand obj ecti 'iS to provide a` constructionof-cultivat of which; the ioverall width rwill vnot materiallyeceed ithe width` of :the istrip oi 'ground intended to be According to the invention a power-driven cui#1 tivator includes a"single-ground#engagingv traction cylinder.' (or wheellf lrotativelyfsupported aty opposite ends betweenlrespe'ctivesde frame rhein,- bersl 'ofy af chassis; the latter -havinga pair of guiding handiebars supported therefromvon-'off the side-frarne"members-forming--at least a part of a stationary casing for' a'driv-ing shaft, driven from a power unit (which may `havey an autmatic speed'-gm/"erriow` mountedl'on `thecha'ssis and connected to drive the said tractionv cylinder on an: axis at right-angles to the said shaft; and

at least-a part of the'ot-her side frame memberv beingy detachable to permit :the traction cylinder to be exchanged by sliding it axiallyl out of enn gagement withthe driving 'connectionthe chassis also includinga mountingfor a cutlivating tool.A Preferably," thetraction cylinder has at Aleast` the adjacent' end ofthe cylindrical surface and,

in that`way,fa driving*connection from -the driving fshaft can Y be accommodated" mainly "within the end-depression, thus formed," of the cylinder.

The power unit can be an internal combustion t engine power plant which is preferably lmour'ited at the forward lend ofthechas'sis'and drives the' driving shaft through a' belt'and pulleyarrangeV ment. For the latter purpose,"the power unitY can be supported by a cradle whiclr'is connected by parallel swinging linksfto the "chassisl'lan'd means (preferably operable vfrom the liandlebars) can be providedv whereby `to permit`the "40 cradle `to be rocked, byv abiassing spring' means, towards the driven pulley whereby'tofslacken the belt for discontinuingfthe drive, Preferably there is, fast with the cradle, abrake block for co'- action with the driven pulley for bringing 'the' latter to rest when the driv'eeis thus disconnected In thisrway the tension'in thebelt, during drivv-` ing, is applied against the said biassin'g' spring means. Obviously, however',alternative' ratios 'for the drive could be provided by`u`sing`"cornple`men tary pairs of' coaxiallyffast driving pulleys. A

In the accompanying drawingsz' Figure 1 is fa partsectional side elevation of one form of the cultivat'or;

Figure 2 isi-af plan mainlyi'flth'e `chassis; frame of the cultvator shown in Figure 1 2 Y .1 Figure 3 i's a generally horizonta'l` broken "seiition, 'drawn to a larger scale 'than'that "of Figures 1 and2', of the drivenend of'th'e" traction cylinder; Figureslad 5 aresectorfalvewsjto the 'saine larger scale, on the lines 4-4 and E-S'res'pf tively, Vof Figure 3, these section lines also being shownein! othersV of 'thel gures for"conve`nience;

Figure 6 is a" sectional: plan,' drawn' to a Vstill larger scale; `ofthe"support for the nondriven end of the tractioh'cylinderj of Figures 4- and 5, of the driven end of a rotary cult-ivator attachrilent;F Figure18"is la 'sectional "planfdrawnto twice thescale of 'Figure "7 and s'howing' tl'ie"nOn-`driven endfof'the-'rotary 'cultivator attachment:

AFigure 9,15 a front view of the engine suspenin the direction of one of the comprises'a 'traction cylinder t2li! Which'issupported, on a transverse horizontal aXis,ibetw'een a tubular 4side frame-'member 2'I and arem'ovable' side' frame member 22,' Th'e'member 2i, at'the front, carries a downwardly,cranked iront frame 23, which is substantially of .U+forminp1an,zand the latter carries an interna] combustion 'engine 24 together-withv theassociate'd fuel tank. 25;;si-

lencer `2l-`rangjl other, necessary components. 1 Thel engine shaftdriyes, through a pulleyvr28a anda V-sectioned belt 21y a pulley28-fast with a shaftv .i 29 which is within tllegtubiilar4 side framemem'# ber 2l. As shown, the'shafts may befprovided with two pulleys so as to provide drives of two different ratios. 5

(rigufegfi and; 14)-, :from: a pushmund `35 nrloi'irit'exl on yl; anfiile-'bar-,s k 35i which are `supported from the frame members 2| and 22 by platforms 38, 31 respectively and bolts. The rotary hoeing etY the rear gef,l the cumvatoris *shown a'irotaryhoeingv attachmentiincluding .earth Working bladesrnmounted on Idiscs 2j fast 'witha trans. versef tubular shaitp32.;4 'Ilf`1e-latter is ,driven-` througha worm gearby A a shaft 33 (Figureri) which -isrjcoa'xial with; Land, driven from thef'shaft i 29 throughadog clutch I hereinafterpdescribd.-. 'I'he dog clutch isloperated'through:a lever 3 4,

attachment has a cover 39 secured to the side frame members and, on top of the cover, there is a quadrant plate 49 to which is pivoted at 4| an operating handle 42. To the latter is pivoted at 43 the upper end of a depth control skid 44 which is suitably guided, and the handle has a pin for selective engagement in holes 45 of the quadrant plate.

The two side frame members 2|, 22 are stayed together at 46, and the member 22 is bolted to the framework at 41 and 48 so as to be readily detachable.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, the traction cylinder is driven from the driving shaft 29 (Figures 1 and 4) through a Worm 49, a worm wheel 59, and a two-speed gearing, which are contained Within a casing 5|, 52 located in an adjacent end-depression of the traction cylinder.

The latter, as best seen in Figure 3, has the end depression defined by the inner periphery of a tire-bearing end rim 53 and by a radial plate 54 which supports the rim (e. g., by a radial flange of the latter and bolts and nuts 68) and is fast with the adjacent end of a plain cylindrical midportion 55.

The traction cylinder is connected as hereinafter described to be rotatively fast with a bull wheel 56 which is in constant mesh with the centre one 51 of three relatively-fast, coaxial gear wheels 51, 58, 59, of different diameters, which are slidably and rotatively mounted on a lay-shaft 69. The gear wheel 51 is of a suilicient axial length to permit of the axial sliding for alternatively meshing, with an intermediate neutral position, the outer ones of the three gear wheels with co-acting gear wheels 6|, 62 (Figure 5), which are fast with the shaft 63 on which the worm wheel 59 is mounted, whilst maintaining the gear wheels 56, 51 in mesh.

For sliding the lay-shaft gear wheels there is a selector mechanism which conveniently comprises a roller 64 (see Figures 3 and 5) rotatively supported at the free end of an arm 65 of a shaft 66 which is journalled in the casing 52 (Figure 5) and has an external arm 61 having an articulated connection at 19 with a rod 1| which is-operated from the handle-bars.

By axially sliding the rod 1|, the roller 64 is made to bear on the axially inner face of one or other of the gear wheels 58, 59 for effecting the gear change.

The rods and 1| are connected to the lever 34, and arm 61 respectively, so as to be able to turn axially to a limited extent against the iniluence of torsion springs |39 (see Figure 14) interconnecting the parts, these springs normally urging fingers |3| of the rods into selected coacting notches |32, in respective gates |33, |34, for location purposes. Each rod, at the handlebar end has a radial arm |35 by which it can be turned for disengaging the finger and by which it can be pushed or pulled for operating the controlled parts.

The traction cylinder is journalled on a stationary axle 13 (see Figures 3 and 6) having shoulders for engaging the inner faces of the side frame members 2 I, 22 and having screw-threaded extensions for projecting through the latter for coaction with locking nuts 14 and 15, respectively, for holding the axle in position. The traction cylinder is formed hollow and is fast with a concentric internal sleeve 16 by which it is journalled on the axle, the sleeve 16 and the bull Wheel 56 having a dog-tooth engagement, indicated at 11 which is normally maintained by a locating nut 18 on the other end of the axle.

In the construction shown, the sleeve and bull wheel are not journalled directly on the axle 13, there being an intermediate tube 19 (on which the nut 18 is threaded) and end bearing liners 88, 8|, the latter having flanges 82, 83, respectively, for spacing the ends of the tube 19 from the side frame members.

When it is desired to remove the traction cylinder, the detachable side frame member 22 is removed (after removing the handle-bars, the nuts at 41 and 48, and the looking nut 15) and, after removing the locating nut 18 (which preferably has a conical engagement with the sleeve as shown in Figure 6) the traction cylinder can be slid axially off the tube 19, the drive, being through the dog-teeth 11, permitting this.

The drive shaft 33 (see Figure 4) is supported in end bearings within a detachable tubular extension 84 of the side frame member 2|, the extension 84 spigoting into the latter and being held in position by swing bolts 85, pivoted to the casing 5| and entering slots 86 of a flange 81 of the extension, and bearing nuts 88. The side frame member 272 has a rearward extension |31 with a flange by which it is held in position by similar swing bolts |38 supported from the member 22.

The transverse tubular shaft 32 which forms the rotor of the rotary hoeing attachment (see Figures 7 and 8) is fast, as hereinafter described. with a worm wheel 89 which is driven from a worm 99 fast with the shaft 33, the worm and Worm wheel being within a casing 9| which is made to be detachably fast, at 92, Figure 4, with the extension 84.

The shaft 32 has welded thereto end plates 93, 94 (Figures '1 and 8) effecting labyrinthine seals, respectively, with the casing 9| and with a member 95, the latter having a screw-threaded extension engaged by a cap nut 96 for locating it on the extension |31 of the side frame member 22. The worm wheel 89 is fast with a flange 91 of a plug 98 which is splined into the end plate 93 and has a screw-threaded engagement with one end of a tension rod 99, of which the other end has a screw-threaded engagement with a similar plug |99 which has a hexagon head |8| by which the assembly can be locked together. Oil seals |36 are preferably provided in the labyrinths.

At the rearward end of the driving shaft 29 (see Figure 4) is a splined sleeve |92 having dogs for coaction with dogs |93 fast with the driven shaft 33. In this way, with the splined sleeve retracted, the cultivating tool can be fixed in position (e. g., by bolting the extension 84 to the rear of the side frame member 2|), without any necessity for carefully engaging a splined connection of the two shafts, and the splined sleeve can thereafter be moved, by a fork engaging the groove |94 of the sleeve and operable by the rod 35, and lever 34, to engage the dogclutch.

For removing the cultivating tool, when it is not desired also to remove the traction cylinder, it is only necessary to detach the extensions 84 and 31 from the side frame members.

The engine 24 is supported from the front of the front frame 23, and from a cross-member |95 thereof, by two swinging links |96 (Figures 9 and 13), pivoted at the top to two pairs of mounting plates |91 which are fast with the engine crank case. Each link consists of two parallel bearing ausweisen tubcsilgnl Mtnitedfbyfa weiblv Il lfandzthe bears; ingltubeulicis Ejournalled (inra bearing frod fast'.` Witlntheerespectivepairs `of platesfttl The,rearmounting plateiofthe-pairiat :the i, leftiof, Figura-9, being=indicatedibyhifila;- (Figure ,1-:5

rer il) whichcanaleeiturnedfbyu f odri" arm l1-l 2 offthilciarika i mbeiu z" Ti 'A arm ,diamaniup -fturnecliendf 11! 3 which# in .alinkltMGFigure r1 0)iz The 4lirilr has ascrew-zs threaded; ,memberhr 1| l 5 #held irelativlely .fand .-adjustablyrto fthefad-iacent side fof :thel irai-rwv 26 'iby a Wingnut l'l Sini-whichfzthei underside is chain.-l fered gto .ermit1swinging,- in :the:` plane of Figure f i ofi-:thea .assembly,zlabcutetheffwing ruity :11 The?? latter '.is held fin engagement f with 'ethei` by o. tefnsin H1,

Thel-tspringnl l? i theblinisfr ixiiA to the right (Figure 9) so that a brake iildk H8 (see Figure 9), adjustablymcunted by bolt and connectionsyonh; the right-bandi rear mounting'"f plate Illlb (see Figures 12 and i3);` will engage j the driven pulley, .i/."8,m the driving belt-2`l thus being slm'zkened.V This mounting plate 'also has 25 arms H9 abetween which the 'two runs of the'bel'tv4 i 21 I@arerconiinedl Operatiomoftherod il l connects-the drivexto tllepulley-#Zsfagainstvtheinfluence-of the spring, u H1, by rocking ithesengineiin direction to tighten the belt, the pivots of the crank member lll] and-the link H4 then reaching a position in Whichfthcybecome @verset-to hold: the drivefconenectiecl'.L 1-

Detachable cover caps can be provided where desired and, in fact, there is one, indicated at 120 in Figure 5, for the casing 5i, and another, indicated at [2l in Figure '7, for the casing si.

The framework can have one or more attach-- nient points (e. g., a pair of lugs 42 with aligned Holes at each sidesee Figures 2, 3 and 4) for a mn-driven cultivating tool (e. g., it can support a tool bar for a barrow, rake or the like), or, instead of a rotary boeing attachment, a `lawn mower, rotary brush or the like could be arranged to be driven from the shaft 33. l

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A power-driven cultivator comprising a chassis of which one side frame member is detachable and the other side frame member is hollow, a ground-engaging traction cylinder rotatively supported from and between said side frame members with its axis transversely of the chassis, said traction cylinder at the end adjacent said hollow side frame member having an end wall spaced axially-inwardly of the adjacent end of the cylindrical surface whereby to form an end-depression, a power unit mounted on said chassis, a drive transmission shaft within said hollow side frame member, a driving connection between said power unit and said transmission shaft, a second driving connection between said transmission shaft and said traction cylinder and accommodated mainly within said end-depression, said second driving connection including a dog clutch which is automaticallfyT disengageable when said traction cylinder is removed after the removal of said detachable side frame member, guiding handle-bars supported from said chassis, and a mounting on said chassis for a cultivating tool.

2. A power-driven cultivator comprising a chassis of which one side frame member is detachable and the other side frame member is hollow,

` depressiongffa. power unit,4 swingingflinkssmounta' groundenga-gingiatractionmzylinden1irotatively'f'H supportedis-from: :and: 1betweem-rsaidi side V.'frame mcmberswith ts@.axisftransverselyzof the chasu sisfa power ,cswngingflinksJmountingfsaidc powerwlinitionsaidrrchassis; a` drive traiismissiriy shaft-within said-wh'ellow isidexframcimember, a beltrand .1 pulley driving connectionrbetween .said

powersunitf andsaidi.transmissionshaftwspringhf means: fbiassing said -swinging;-iinks/towards .the s ,a

ydrivenipulleyvvhlerebyrto slacker'i saidi-.beltior` dis-2.:-

continuing@- the iii-drivel ifmeans: eier;"r'oclringL` said. swinging'linlrs' {.awayf. from. said "driven-vf pulley u whereby-fito tightenhsaidsbeltfor establishingfthex drive, a secondfdriv'ing connection between said:

Atransmissionshaft4 Sand i said tractionl cylriderf,-

saidrlsecond I4:dri-ving i connectioncbeingr automati i, cally A'disengageable whenV said i tractioniscylinder' is removed :after theremovalof saidudetachabld. side-iframe frnembenrfrguidinghandle-bars sur` iporte'dzrfromfsaidr chassis; and .av mountingA :on i said.`

ing saidr-.powenunit on saidchassis,l a driveitra'ns-f missionshait' within saidholiowside framemem'- ber, a belt and pulley driving connection between said power unit and said transmission shaft, spring means biassing said swinging links towards the driven pulley whereby to slacken said belt for discontinuing the drive, means for rocking said swinging links away from said driven pulley whereby to tighten said belt for establishing the drive, a second driving connection between said transmission shaft and said traction cylinder and accommodated mainly within Said end-depression, said second driving connection including a dog clutch which is automatically disengageable when said traction cylinder is removed after the removal of said detachable side frame member, guiding handle-bars supported from said chassis, and a mounting on said chassis for a cultivating tool.

4. A power-driven cultivator, according to claim 3, having, fast with said power unit, a

kbrake block for coaction with said driven pulley for bringing the latter to rest when the drive is discontinued.

5. A power-driven cultivator comprising a chassis of which one side frame member is detachable and the other side frame member is hollow; a ground-engaging traction cylinder rotatively supported from and between said side frame members with its axis transversely of the chassis, an axial depression in that end of said traction cylinder which is adjacent said hollow side frame member, a power unit mounted on said chassis, a drive transmission shaft within said hollow side frame member, a driving connection between said power unit and one end of said transmission shaft, a worm and worm wheel driving connection including a change-speed gearing between said transmission shaft and said traction cylinder, said driving connection for said traction cylinder being accommodated mainly within said axial depression and being disengageable when said traction cylinder is removed after the removal of said detachable side frame member, a hollow coaxial rearward extension detachably secured to hollow side frame member, a second drive transmission arranged within said extension to be coaxial with the first said drive transmission shaft and at the end of the latterwhich is remote from said power unit, a dog clutch operable to transmit drive from the first said drive transmission shaft to said second drive transmission shaft, a transverse-rotor shaft, a. driving connection between that end of said second drive transmission shaft which is remote from said dog clutch and said rotor shaft, and guiding handle-bars supported from said chassis.

6. A power-driven cultivator comprising a chassis of which one side frame member is detachable and the other side frame member is hollow, a stationary shaft supported by its opposite ends between said side frame members with its axis transversely of the chassis, a ground-engaging traction cylinder rotatively supported on saidA stationary shaft, an axial depression in that end of said traction cylinder which is adjacent said hollow side frame member, a driven gear wheel rotatively supported on said stationary shaft intermediate said hollow side frame member and the radial wall of said traction cylinder which forms the inner end of said axial depression, a dog clutch engagement between said driven gear wheel and said traction cylinder, a layshaft, three coaxially fast gears of different diameters rotatively and slidably mounted on said layshaft, one of said layshaft gear wheels being permanently meshed with said driven gear wheel, a rotatively supported stub shaft, two driving gear wheels fast on said stub rshaft and for alternatively being meshed by the remaining two gears @of the layshaft, for driving said traction cylinder at two alternative ratios, said driven gear wheel, dog clutch, layshaft and stub shaft being mainly accommodated within said axial depression, a power unit mounted on said chassis, a drive transmission shaft within said hollow side frame member, a driving connection between said power unit and said transmission shaft, a worm on said transmission shaft meshing a worm wheel fast with said stub shaft, said dog clutch engagement permitting said traction cylinder to be removed after the removal of said detachable side frame member, guiding handle-bars supported from said chassis, and a mounting on said chassis for a cultivating tool.

ARTHUR CLIFFORD HOWARD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 11, 1928 

